Die Einsteins – Museum einer Ulmer Familie

About the museum

Albert Einstein was born on 14 March 1879 in the house at Bahnhofstraße 20 in Ulm, but as early as 1880 his parents moved with him to Munich. His ties to his large family in Ulm did not end there. The house where he was born was destroyed in an air raid in December 1944.

For a museum about the family, the City of Ulm therefore chose the so-called “Engländer” on the Weinhof in the Fishermen’s Quarter. The core of the building dates back to the 15th century; its name comes from a former inn called “König von England” (King of England). From the middle of the 19th century, a bed-feather factory operated on the ground floor in which Einstein’s father and grandparents also held shares, and at the time of Albert’s birth his grandmother Helene lived here. The magnificent synagogue on the Weinhof, consecrated a few years before his birth, stood close by.

The museum opened on the ground floor of the house in July 2024. It is run by the City of Ulm and was funded by the Baden-Württemberg Stiftung. In seven chapters following Einstein’s life, the compact permanent exhibition traces the rise and destruction of Ulm’s Jewish community: from the family’s origins through growing antisemitism, the Shoah and emigration to the hesitant rapprochement between the family, the city and a newly founded Jewish community. Free media guides let members of the family tell their own stories.

Highlights

• Family tree of the far-reaching Einstein family, more than four metres long
• Exhibition in the historic “Engländer” house, where Einstein’s grandmother lived
• Seven chapters from Ulm’s Jewish community to the Shoah and emigration
• Einstein’s help for persecuted relatives during the Nazi era
• Free media guide with life stories of family members
• “Halle der Geschichten” (Hall of Stories) with a collection wall in the basement

Permanent exhibitions

• Die Einsteins – Museum einer Ulmer Familie – Seven chapters – Family and Origins, Why Ulm?, The “Engländer”, Worlds Begin to Shake, Shoah, Life-Saving Emigration and Rapprochement – follow Albert Einstein’s biography to tell the story of his Ulm relatives and the city’s Jewish community.
• Halle der Geschichten – Collection wall with five monitors in the basement where visitors can explore what they have seen in more depth; the area is continually being expanded.

Founded

2024

Operated by

Stadt Ulm

Director

Dr. Sabine Presuhn

Admission & discounts

Tickets are sold at the museum ticket desk. Free admission with the UlmCard and AlbCard.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The museum describes itself as barrier-free on its website; details, for example on access to the basement, have not been published.

Kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

The website mentions activities for children; details have not been published.

Getting there & parking

The museum is on the ground floor of the house with the green shutters on the Weinhof; from the city centre walk towards the Danube and follow the signs to the Schwörhaus.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop
• Lockers

Small museum shop with souvenirs and postcards; lockers and toilets on site.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit